<table> </table> COLUMBIA | The youth of the Missouri basketball team didn&#8217;t wait to be served. The kids helped themselves.</p><p>Missouri&#8217;s seven new roster additions for 2008-09 combined to score 32 of Missouri&#8217;s first 46 points in the Tigers&#8217; 97-54 victory over Lincoln University.</p><p>Lincoln finished 7-20 a year ago, and with 38 turnovers Thursday night, prospects do not look bright for this season.</p><p>OK, so this was just an exhibition game, adding nothing more than experience to the three exhibitions MU played in Canada in August and September.</p><p>But as he did in scoring 36 points in MU&#8217;s Black &amp; Gold intrasquad game last week, freshman guard Marcus Denmon looked like a keeper.</p><p>In a 6-minute, 8-second span between coming off the bench and returning to it with two fouls, the former Kansas City Hogan Prep star scored seven points on three-of-three shooting (including a three), grabbed a rebound and dished out an assist in the first half.</p><p>Denmon finished with 12 points and four assists, and four fouls that point to some defensive work ahead.</p><p>Another top newcomer &#8212; junior point guard Zaire Taylor, who sat out last season following a transfer from Delaware &#8212; was the only rookie in the starting lineup. He scored all 11 of his points on four-of-five shooting in the first half.</p><p>&#8220;The guys on the bench brought some energy and some excitement, as a matter of fact,&#8221; said MU coach Mike Anderson.</p><p>&#8220;There are more options on our basketball team.&#8221;</p><p>At the break, the foursome of Missouri veterans in the starting lineup &#8212; Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, J.T. Tiller and Matt Lawrence &#8212; had combined for 18 points and 11 rebounds.</p><p>The seven newcomers combined for 36 points and nine rebounds in the first 20 minutes. The other two points for MU in a 56-27 first half were scored by returning squad man Justin Safford.</p><p>The vets picked it up considerably in the second half, in part because Anderson let them play more minutes.</p><p>Lyons finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Carroll wound up with 11 points and five rebounds, and Lawrence scored 11 as well.</p><p>Returning players wound up contributing 55 points and 23 rebounds. Newcomers combined for 42 and 15.</p><p>But in that heavy contribution in that first half, Denmon and Taylor in particular showed they are likely ready for major minutes.</p><p>&#8220;Denmon&#8217;s a scorer,&#8221; Anderson said. &#8220;He&#8217;s got ice in his veins. Zaire, it&#8217;s expected out of him.&#8221;</p><p>Taylor wasn&#8217;t all that pleased with his play.</p><p>&#8220;Marcus, he&#8217;s instant offense,&#8221; Taylor said.</p><p>&#8220;My game, it was a good first half. But there were too many turnovers (three), not enough assists (two).&#8221;</p><p>Missouri &#8212; 4-0 in exhibitions &#8212; plays its final game that doesn&#8217;t count at 7 p.m. Tuesday against visiting Missouri Southern.</p><p>Anderson is hoping the Tigers take care of the ball better in that game than in this one, in which MU had 22 turnovers.</p><p>Free-throw shooting needs to improve as well. Missouri hit only 18 of 32.